Category: The Etsy Shop & Promotions

I often think that it was incredibly silly to start a business right in-between Christmas and New Years. The shopping season is basically finished and the first sale opportunity was slim. Now that we are three, (yes “we”, because Salem Style is another being), I think this was the best time to start. Having a business anniversary and the turn of the year at the same time is incredibly fitting, not to mention the accounting matches up to the calendar year perfectly. But more importantly, this is the time where people reflect on the past year, and set goals for the new year to come.

This past year has been fantastic. It started off shaky. Really shaky. The 2013 holiday season did not being what I thought it would in the shop, and the blog was basically non-existent. I was stuck in a 7 day a week job at a car dealership that I absolutely hated. It only took until February to turn it all around. I started a new job in Boston (which I LOVE!) and I earned back the time to focus on Salem Style.

I am not going to go on and on and on, but one thing that has been amazing this past year is you. The interactions on social media and constant support and ideas have been wonderful.

This holiday season has set many new records for Salem Style, and I am overwhelmed and overjoyed. It has given me the confidence to continue and know that I can not only reach goals that I set, I can surpass them. Time to set some goals.

Cheers to leaving a great year behind and discovering a new year ahead.

Here is a beginners guide for shopping on Etsy with tips for improving your experience.

As an Etsy seller, I often forget that not everyone is used to using Etsy. I tell people it’s like eBay for handmade and vintage sellers, but without the bidding. But really when I say that, it doesn’t do the site justice. Etsy is a wonderful platform that helps crafters and artisans connect with each other as well as give them the ability to sell to anyone in the world. You can find some of the nose amazing items with higher quality and care that you will ever find in a store.

Tip 1: Register for an account. Choose a username and password and get shopping. You will need an account to make a purchase, so might as well make one. Also with an account, you can add favorite items, shops, and “follow” other users to see what their picks are (kind of like Pinterest).

Tip 2: Use the search bar and be specific. If you are looking for a nice pair of handmade gray gloves to go with your new coat, don’t just search “gloves”. You will have to go through so many listings. Etsy has a smart search engine so be specific like “women’s gray gloves” and then toggle the filters in your search results.

Tip 3: Read the item description. Make sure you read what the seller is saying. This is where they will list what the item is, how big it is, what its made out of, etc. Say you are still searching for those gray gloves. Make sure it’s not a pattern to make Knit Gloves that happens to use a pair of gray gloves as a picture.

Tip 4: If it’s a made to order or custom item, make sure to communicate what you want. Also be sure if it’s a made to order item, you can see the approximate turn around time. This is also where the seller might display multiple colors of gloves with a note “choose color in note to seller” meaning you would write “gray gloves”

Tip 5: Check out the entire shop. The banner at the top of the shop page has announcements. Sometimes sellers will have a coupon code, or important shipping information.

Tip 6: Read the shop policies. This link can be found on the left hand side of the shop screen. This is where a seller will list their payment policies, shipping, return policy, and any other important information. These are things you will want to know to be an informed buyer. As an added bonus, read the About Page and Reviews. You can really get a better feel of the shop as well as see what past customers have said.

Tip 7: Contact the seller. These shops are all ran by real people. If you want to know more information about the shop or item, just ask! Sellers are usually very friendly and informative.

Tip 8: Use Etsy’s gift guides. Etsy curates collections of unique gift ideas based on price and recipient. I have found some great ideas this way. It helps give you some inspiration or a starting point for your search.

Tip 9: Shop early for the holidays. Etsy sellers usually have earlier cut off deadlines for holiday orders. Be sure you can see their holiday deadlines to give yourself plenty of time to order.

Tip 10: Contact etsy. If you feel uncomfortable or see anything suspicious, don’t be afraid to reach out to Etsy Support. If the seller won’t respond to you ever and you have a big concern, let Etsy know.

So there you have it! I hope these tips have made your Etsy holiday shopping easier!

all images are screenshots from http://www.etsy.com

This past October was the best October my shop has ever seen, by far. I had a feeling that it was going well. However, it wasn’t until I really started looking at the numbers that I realized this little shop is growing.

I also realize now that I don’t give myself enough credit. It’s so easy to compare yourself to what other people are doing and get discouraged. Stop looking at what others were doing! Only compare to what you are doing. So with that being said, today I feel like a #GIRLBOSS.

From this point on, I am going to stop looking at the floor when people ask me about my Etsy shop and blog, and proudly say what I am achieving with confidence. I put so much love and care into every single thing that I do for this brand, and I want to show it. Never have I though of an idea and planned it out so thoroughly and have stuck with it for so long. This isn’t just a hobby or even a passion project, this is a part of who I am. Salem Style has a lot of growing to do, but I feel confident that it can grow, because I can grow.